This invention relates to control units and associated extension handles, and particularly to control units for outboard marine trolling motors.
Many outboard marine trolling motors have a propeller and an associated power unit housing connected to the lower end of a shaft. At an upper end of the shaft is a control unit and a handle. A clamp, which rides on the shaft and is selectively tightened at intermediate points thereon, secures the outboard motor asembly to the side of a small marine craft. When the outboard motor assembly is secured by the clamp onto the marine craft, the craft operator uses switches on the control unit to turn on and off the submerged power unit. The craft operator steers the for the power unit. The craft operator steers the craft by moving the handle attached to the control unit, whereby the handle movement causes the shaft and power unit to rotate about the axis of the shaft, thus changing the orientation of the propeller and the course of the craft.
Outboard marine motors of the type described above are used on marine craft employed for numerous purposes, especially for fishing purposes. Operators of marine crafts, such as fisherman, prefer not to be confined to the portion of the craft where the control unit is located, but for convenience and practicality on occasion tend to situate themselves out of reach of the conventional control unit and steering handle. To accommodate this practical tendency, some prior art control units have been connected via cable to remotely positionable foot control peddles. The craft operator positions the foot control peddles as desired on the interior floor of the craft and uses the peddles for steerage purposes. Foot control peddles cannot be used, of course, in crafts which do not have an essentially flat interior floor surface. Moreover, few fishermen are fond of the foot control peddle concept.
Some prior art control units have a telescoping handle for permitting the craft operator to sit further away from the control unit and yet steer the craft with the handle. However, the operator must still reach or even go back to the control unit to change the speed of the power unit, thereby interrupting his primary activity, such as fishing. Moreover, the operator must move the distal end of the telescoped handle, when extended, through a significant arcuate path away form the operator's body. In this respect, to effect a comparable angular displacement of the propeller axis is a greater arcuate path is traversed by the distal end of an extended handle than a shorter handle. To steer the craft, the operator must maneuver the extended handle through the lengthy arcuate path, possibly even having to change his own position in doing so. If the operator stops the craft after having made a sharp turn, the distal end of the extended handle may be oriented in a rest position essentially perpendicularly to the major axis of the craft and possibly out over the water. When the operator desires to start up the craft again, the operator must reach a significant distance to grasp the handle.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a handle for an outboard marine motor which is conveniently usable at a remote location in the marine craft.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a telescoping handle which is easily usable by a marine craft operator.
Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a telescoping handle for an outboard marine motor whereby a marine craft operator can easily change the speed of a power unit associated with the motor.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a telescoping handle whereby small angular displacement of the handle by an operator rotates the power unit and propeller of a trolling motor through a much greater angular displacement including 360.degree..